EVP/COO | United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Jennifer Sampson knows about the powerful impacts of proactive social responsibility efforts. After all, she sees results every day through more than 90 local health and human services providers that her United Way chapter helps fund.
After graduating with an Accounting degree, Sampson entered the corporate world working for Arthur Andersen.
“I began working for Andersen after a summer internship and graduation,” she said. “As a student at Baylor, I was introduced the fundamentals of corporate philanthropy and social responsibility. But Andersen taught me how to put those fundamentals into action. Giving back to the community was central to the culture and value system of the firm. It was at Andersen where I first learned about the importance of United Way’s role in building stronger communities.”
Sampson became an even stronger advocate for the United Way system when she became chief financial officer for United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in 2001.
“It was a big transition from serving corporate clients to working for a nonprofit organization,” she said. “However, accountability and transparency are two of the most important underlying factors of any organization-whether it is nonprofit or for profit.”
Sampson was named the executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2004. “My parents planted a seed of confidence in me,” she said. “The competitive academic environment and the focus on Christian ethics and servant leadership at Baylor nurtured that seed and helped me to grow as a student, and later as a business professional. Hard work, persistence and determination pay off.”
Sampson said United Way’s call to action for the community, Live United, is an invitation to give, advocate, and volunteer in order to create sustainable change and deliver results in three impact areas of education, income and health. Sampson said she is especially an advocate of early childhood education, mainly due to her 2-year-old son Hilton.
“It’s very rewarding to work for a mission-based organization,” she said. “Our mission is to improve lives. It’s about advancing the common good and creating better opportunities for everyone. Through partnerships and collaborations, we hope to mobilize resources to create sustainable change.”